Portable combination ironing board and luggage case



M. R. OBUCKLEY Jan. 31, 1961` PORTABLE COMBINATION IRONING BOARD ANDLUGGAGE CASE Filed June 20, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 31, 1961 M. R.@BUCKLEY 2,969,603

PORTABLE COMBINATION IRONING BOARD'AND LUGGAGE CASE Filed June 20, 19582 Sheets-Shes?l 2 mms/TOR.'- MARY R. OBUCKLEY United States Patent i2,969,603 PORTABLE COMBINATION IRQNING BOARD AND LUGGAGE CASE Mary R.OBuckIey, Horseheads, N .Y.

Filed June 20, 1958,'Ser. No. 743,342

` y1 Claim. (Cl. Sil-e112) invention relates to collapsible `orfolding'` porta- .bleiron'ing'boards and containers, Iandinfparticular@a`plurality of vhinged Vpanels designed :to '.be `folded to7 provide acarrier for luggage anduvhich, iwhen opened :to an extended positionprovides an ironing board.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means 'whereby a travelervmay readilyy carry an ironing rhoard inlhis luggage continuously.

Various types of devices have been "provided @for inr- ,provisingironing -boards in hotel and motel roomsl fand also in rooming ,housesand small apartments, however,

such devices Vare Vdesigned for temporary fuseandihave .sectionalironingboard which 'may be used as la luggage vcarrier for traveling, and which.may y.readily be fset `up forironing l Anotherobjectoftheinventionfisto provide a collapsible ironing board that may be folded`to .providealluggage carrier or set up for ironing in which the partsare rigidly held in extended positions when the device .is .used forironing.

Another important object of Lthe linvention is to provide a foldingironing board which may be used asa .luggage carrier or Athe 4like inwhichthe ironing board is spaced above a telescoping base when set upfor use.

VvIt is yet another object -of the invention to provide a `collapsibleironing `board that may "be `vfolded to provide ya luggage-carrier-inwhich theparts are of comparatively light weight.

A further object .of `the invention vis to provide an ironing boardformed vof :hinged panels in which the parts .may :be set .up .for use.by the `average layman.

A still further object is to provide a combination ironing board andluggage carrier which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the inventionembodies a rectangular-shaped base panel, end panels hinged to ends ofthe base panel, a side panel complemental to the base panel and hingedto one of the end panels, a nose panel hinged to the extended end of theside panel and formed to fold `against the inner surface thereof, pinsslidably mounted in tubes or rolls at the edges of the panels forretaining the panels in extended positions, and -a telescoping frameconnected by legs to the inner surface of the base panel for supporting,

the ironing board in an extended position.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

2,969,603 Patented Jan. 31 1.9.61

"ice

Vllligure "1 `is a perspective -view ,showing the collapsible ironing:board vfolded t'o VYprovide a luggage carrier.

Figure -2 is a perspective view showingthedeviceaextended to provide anironing board, and looking ,toward .the-under'surfacethereof.

:Figure 3 Vis aside elevational view of thecombination ironing board andluggage carrier with parts broken away Vshowing alongitudinal sectionthrough therdevice.

Eigure 4 is a cross-section through the base panel fof the fironingrboard* and luggage carrier taken "on Aline 4--4 of Figure 2 with theparts shown on ,an ,enlarged scale, .and showing, lin particular, theinwardly inclined legs -Kof fthe ftelescopiing support frame, in .brokenlines.

'Figure 5 yfis faf longitudinal section through vthe inter- Ymediate ofthe-ironing board With-the parts.v extended Land showing,1in-particular, one ofthe locking -pin's or keys offthe device.

Figure'-,6is :a gperspectiveview with the partsrshown on an enlarged1scale Iillustrating the keys or plates for retainingthe nose panel :inan extended position -when'the device is ,used ffor van .ironing board.

Figure 7 isa-cross section-through the sidefpanel'taken Lon line 7-1-7of Figure 6 showing the mounting-of one lof 'the :keys for plates for'retaining the nose `panel extended.

While one -embodiment of .the invention is illustrated inthefabove-referred-to drawings, :it is to be understood .that -thieyaremerelyfor the 'purpose of illustration, and that various rchanges .inconstruction :may be-resorted :to in theeourse of `manufacture inorder-that theinvention tmay ,be yutilized to the best .advantageaccording :to fein'- cumstances which may Yarise, without in anymanner'de- ,parting from zthe spirit and intention ofthedevice, which isto `be Alimited only in accordance with the appended claim. And whilethere is statedk the primary Ifield `of utility of the invention, it.remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity whereinit may be found applicable.

11n the 4accompanying drawings, and in the lfollowing speciiication thesame reference characters are used to designate `the ysame parts andVelements throughout, `and .in which the ynumeral 10 refers to theinvention `'inats entirety, ,numeral 12 indicating a rectangular-'shapedibase panel, numeral "14 a similarly shaped side panel-of the same :sizeand shape as that of the base panel, numerfal 16 ,a nose-panel hinged tothe extendedendfof the Iside panel, vnu'meral 18 a rst Aend panelpositioned 'between the panels 12 .and =14, numeral .20 a second endpanel 5hinged to the base `panel 312, numerals 22 :and 24side walls'hinged vto .ends of the end-panel 20, numerals 26 yand 28 .tubesextended from legs 30 secured to the under surface kof the base .panel12, numeral 32 telescoping tubes ,fmountedin the tubes 26 and 28,and'numerals34 .and 36-rocls slidabl-y mounted inthe tubes .32 randconnected by a cross rod 38 on which a sleeve 40 is positioned, therebyproviding a U-shaped support.

The sides of the base panel 12 are provided with flanges 42 and 44 andtubes 46 and 48 are nested inside of the lianges, as shown in Figure 4.The legs 30 are provided with sections 50 and 52, respectively, whichare positioned inside of the tubes 46 and 48, and the tubes are securedto hte base plate by brazing, welding, or other suitable means.

The end panel 20, on which a handle 54 is mounted by straps 56 and 58'isconnected to the base panel 12 with a piano hinge 60 and the side Walls22 and 24 are connected to ends of the end panel 20 by similar hinges 62and 64. The opposite end of the base panel 12 is connected to the endpanel 18 by a piano hinge 66 and the opposite side of the end panel 18is connected to the side panel 14 by a similar hinge 68. 'Ihe nose panel16 is connected to side panel 14 by a piano hinge 70.

The sides of the nose panel 16 are provided with arcuate recesses 72 and74 whereby the extended end of the nose panel is patterned to correspondwith a conventional ironing board.

The intermediate panels are retained in extended positions by slidingbolts or pins 76 that are actuated by knobs 78 which extend throughslots 80 in the tubes, as illustrated in Figure 5. The ends of the tubesare provided with beveled surfaces 82 that facilitate folding to anangle of 90. Thertubes 46 and 48 of the base panel are aligned withtubes 84 and 86 of the end panel 18,

and the tubes 84 and 86 are aligned with tubes 88 and 90 on the edges ofthe side panel 14. By sliding the pins across the connecting points ofthe panels the panels are rigidly Vretained in extended positions.

The hinge plate 92 of the hinge 70 connecting the nose panel 16 to theside panel 14 is provided with offset end sections 94 which extend awayfrom the panel providing sockets into which wing plates 96 extend withthe plates 'in the'positions indicated by the broken lines 98, shown inFigure 6. The wing plates 96 are carried on the sides of bolts 100slidably mounted in the extended ends of the tubes 88 and 90 of the sidepanel 14. The wing plates 96 are secured to the rods or bolts 100 bystuds 102 and in the folded position the wing plates are moved inwardlyto the positions indicated by the broken lines 104. In setting up theironing board the wing plates are drawn outwardly to the positionsindicated by the broken lines 106, then turned to the positions againstthe nose panel and slid inwardly with the ends sliding into the offsetsections 94 of the hinge plate 92. With the wing plates in thesepositions the nose panel 16 is rigidly supported in an extended positionfor ironing.

Edges of the end panel 18 and side panel 14 are provided with angessimilar to the anges 42 and 44 of the base panel, the panel 18 havingflanges 108 and 110, and the ypanel 14 having flanges 112 and 114, theflanges being positioned to overlap edges of the side Walls 22 and 24with the parts folded, as shown in Figure 1.

Operation With the parts folded, as shown in Figure 1, wearing apparel,or the like, may be packed in the carrier and the device transportedwith other luggage to a hotel or motel room or the like, and should itbe desired to use an ironing board, a latch 116 connecting the panel 20to the side panel 14 is released, and the parts extended, as shown inFigure 2 with the locking keys or pins extended across the connectionsbetween the panels 'and with the wing plates extended into the socketsof the hinge plate 92. The side walls are folded against the end panel20 and the telescoping rods extended as shown in Figure 3.

In folding the device the wing plates are removed from the sockets ofthe hinge plate 92 and the nose plate folded against the inner surfaceof the side panel 14. The pins in the tubes at the edges of the panelsare withdrawn, the side walls 22 and 24 positioned behind the flanges 42and 44 of the base panel, and with the telescoping base retracted, theflanges of the end panel 18 and side panel 14 are positioned over edgesof the side Walls, and the latch 116 fastened.

From the foregoing speciiication it will become apparent that theinvention disclosed will adequately accomplish the functions for whichit has been designed and in an economical manner, and that itssimplicity, accuracy, and ease of operation are such as to provide arelatively inexpensive device, considering what it will accomplish, andthat it will find an important place in the art to which it appertainswhen once placed on the market.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the inventionrelates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the inventionafter considering the description in connection with the drawings.Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Changes in shape, size, and arrangement of details and parts such ascome within the purview of the invention lclaimed may be resorted to inactual practice, if desired.

Having now described the invention that which is claimed to be new anddesired to be procured by Letters Patent, is:

In an ironing board and carrier, the combination which comprises arectangular-shaped base panel, a iirst end panel hinged to one end ofthe base panel, a side panel of the same pattern and size as that of thebase panel hinged to the extended edge of the first end panel, anironing board nose panel hinged to the extended edge of the side paneland patterned to nest against the inner surface of said side panel, asecond end panel hinged to the end of the base panel opposite to the endto which the iirst end panel is hinged, side Walls hinged to the ends ofsaid second end panel, the base panel, side panel, nose panel, and rstand second end panels being connected by piano hinges providing a smoothouter ironing surface, said base, side, nose, and end panel positionedbetween the base and side panel having longitudinally disposedregistering tubes on under surfaces, pins slidably mounted in the tubesfor retaining the panels in extended positions, and a U-shaped framehaving telescoping arms mounted on and spaced from the base panel forsupporting the ironing board from and in spaced relation to a supportingsurface.`

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 307,564McKeough Nov. 4, 1884 969,112 OBleness Aug. 30, 1910 1,197,525 MeibertSept. 5, 1916 1,334,792 Rankin Mar. 23, 1920 2,473,022 Fenske June 14,1949 2,500,542 Greene Mar. 14, 1950 2,637,919 Buchanan May 12, 19532,742,335 Hitchcock et al Apr. 17, 1956 2,785,484 Molter Mar. 19, 1957

